Open-switch detector.



UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

JOHN M. MOOAULEY, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

OPEN-SWITCH DETECTOR.

SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent N o. 659,152, dated October 2, 1900. Application filed November 16, 1899A. Serial No. 737,200. \l\lo model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may con/cern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN M. MGCAULEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovementsin Open-Switch Detectors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in open-switch detectors, the object being as the name implies to provide means for indicating to the switch attendant the condition of the switch ahead, more particulary if it is open.

With this object in view' my invention consists in certain automatic mechanism for accomplishing this object as well as other minor features of construction, which will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view taken beneath the track-bed and showing the main portions of my improved apparatus in side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a View of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. l and taken at right angles thereto.

A represents a glass or other tube incased, preferably, in a metal tube 1, which protects it, and secured in any approved manner at its center upon a shaft 2, which latter is mountf ed in suitable bearings 3 3, erected for the purpose. The tube A is partly filled with mercury, (indicated by the letter B,) and the ends of the tube are closed by Stoppers 4 4. Contact-pins 5 preferably extend through these Stoppers from the outside to the inside thereof and project inward far enough to receive the contact of the mercury. At their outer ends they may have the usual bindingposts 6 and from them the insulated wires 7 7 lead oit to lthe station or signal tower where the alarm is to be given.

On the shaft 2 a pinion 8 is keyed or otherwise secured. Intergeared with this pinion is a rack-bar 9, which has sliding connection in boxes 10 10 in the uprights or standards.

A slide block or bolt 11. is held in contact with" disengages the switch-rail when the latter is closed. Connected with this sliding block or bolt is a lever 14, which is fulcrumed at or near its center upon a support 15 and loosely connected at its opposite end to the rack-bar 9, so that any sliding movement o f the block or bolt 11 imparts a corresponding motion to bar 9, and the rack-bar by its engagement with the pinion 8 rocks the shaft 2, which carries the mercury-tube, and in consequence rocks that through a quarter of a circle, or from its normally-horizontal position (shown in Fig. 1) when the switch and circuit are closed to a vertical position when the switch and circuit are open.

The entire mechanism is suitably inclosed in a casing 16, which is placed in' an excavation in the road-bed adjacent to the switch. In this casing an opening is formed at 17 for the passage of the wires 7 7, and from this opening a pipe 1S may lead to the place Where the wires are to be carried.

The operation is probably apparent from the foregoing description and the illustrations; but it may be briefly stated as follows: Fig. 1 shows the switch and circuit both closed, as previously stated, and, as will be seen, the mercury-tube in horizontal position, so that the mercury completes the circuit between the contacts at the ends of the two insulated wires 7 7. When the switch is open, the switch -rail (indicated by numeral 19) moves in the direction of the arrow placed beneath it. The slide block or bolt 11, actuated by spring 12, follows it until stopped by The lugs thereon striking the casing 16. By so doing the lever 14 is swung toward the vertical position, the rack-bar 9 slid inward, and 'the mercury-tube turned to a vertical position, or atleast from its horizontal position, thus causing the mercury to flow away from the upper contact and break the circuit, whereupon some kind of signal is communicated to the attendant in thestation or tower to indicate the condition of the switch to him.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts of my device without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein setforth; but,

Having thus described my invention, what the lever 14, which in turn slides the rack' I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with a tube having mercury therein, a shaft for supporting the tube and electric contacts at opposite ends of the tube, of a spring-actuated slide block or bolt in position to be engaged by a switchrail and means extending therefrom to the shaft for turning the latter and mercury-tube whereby to make or break the electric circuit.

2. The combination with a rock-shaft supported in suitable bearings and having a pinion thereon, of a tube containing mercury carried by the shaft, Stoppers in the ends of the tube, contacts extending through said Stoppers and electric Wires electrically connected with said contacts, of a slidable rackbar, the teeth of which are intermeshed with those of the pinion, a spring-actuated slide block or bolt adapted to engage a rail of a switch and a lever fulcrumed at or near its center and connected with this slide block o r bolt and rack-bar whereby motion from one is communicated to the other.

JOHN M. MCCAULEY. In presence of- LEONARD S. HOWARD, ALEX CUMMING. 

